


Into the Fray

by brilliantdreams



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Battlefield, Charles in a Wheelchair, Established Relationship, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, M/M, Protective Erik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 01:40:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12158994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantdreams/pseuds/brilliantdreams
Summary: The X-Men and Brotherhood are united during a battle, and Erik isn't happy to find Charles in the field.





	Into the Fray

**Author's Note:**

> In a universe somewhere between the comics, Evolution and the post First Class  
> • Sentinels bc they’re an easy villain for the Brotherhood and X-Men to fight together  
> • Charles in the chair  
> • Charles and Raven as siblings   
> • The Brotherhood and the X-Men team existing at the same time  
> • Charles probably has hair? Not relevant but his hair is pretty  
> • How old are they? ????  
> • Ya know, just roll with it, don’t think too hard~ Sorry not sorry

They’d been on the ground less than a minute when there was a massive explosion.

It was the quickest decision Erik had ever made, possibly the fastest he’d ever used his powers too. Never had his mutation felt more like a primary sense; quicker than even his eyes, than when he, without looking, grasped the biggest and most complexly designed mass of metal he could find and _wrenched_ , as hard as he possibly could.

In the next second, before Erik had caught up with what had happened, that mass of metal came barrelling into him, knocking him clear off his feet. He hit the ground awkward and hard, but thankfully felt the wheelchair collide with Fred Dukes and clatter to the ground.

Another explosion came from left field, rattling through Erik’s helmet. He steadied the metal he was wearing, orientated himself and sat up.

Charles too was shoving himself into a sitting position, having tumbled out of his wheelchair. Mystique, never to be completely free of her love for her brother, was tentatively trying to help him up. But this time, it was Charles angrily pushing her aside.

“Raven, don’t! I’m fine for God’s sake! I don’t--! _ERIK!_ ” The telepath had spied Erik now standing to the other side of The Blob, and though he was wearing the helmet, Erik moved forward irresistibly to stand in front of Charles. Anger quickly boiled through him as he gave the other man a once over, eating up the shock of seeing—or rather sensing, Charles be almost obliterated by the explosion.

“What do you think you’re doing here?!” Erik demanded before the other could get a word in. Charles opened his mouth in disbelief, expression baffled.

“What am I doing here?! Look around, you fool! _I_ am here to help innocent mutants! Surely that’s what _you_ have come to do as well??” Charles flung an arm out at the scene unfolding around them. His X-Men were deep in the heart of a fierce battle against a swarm of sentinels; the attack that the Brotherhood had too received intelligence on. They’d made haste, planning en route, however, as usual, the X-men had managed to arrive at least a minute before them. A mystery for another day Erik decided as Charles spat, “It’s about the only damn thing we are ever united on, so if you’re here to help then _help_! And for future reference, I don’t appreciate being dragged through the air without any bloody warning!”

Erik felt himself start in fury, his whole body giving a violent jerk.

“NO WARNING?!!” he bellowed “What are you talking about, Charles??! You were almost _killed_ and I--!!”

Realisation flashed through the telepath’s face and Erik swiftly clenched his teeth around his words, curling his fingers into fists. A moment passed before he could calmly order the Brotherhood into action. Around him, his mutants moved quickly and efficiently, though he could feel them quietly confused. They’d clashed with the X-Men so often that Erik was sure they were all wondering why on Earth their leader had rescued ‘Professor X’. All except Mystique who left reluctantly, and knew exactly why Erik had torn Charles so desperately out of harm’s way. 

When they were alone, Charles let Erik help him up into his chair, and then immediately spun around on the uneven terrain to check on his students.

Hank and Raven were working together. They were an excellent team; both mutants superbly intelligent and brutally strong. Charles’ young teleporter was clearing civilians and rescuing mutant targets from the battle zone.

“Thank you for…” Charles seemed reluctant to admit that what Erik had done was ‘saving’ him. “Thank you,” he opted shortly. “Though Kurt or Jean could have helped me.”

They watched Jean Grey rip a hole in a sentinel to allow Scott Summers to blast straight into its workings. The two children, and many other X-Men, were clad in strong, black flight suits with boots and gloves. But Charles was sitting in his now rubble-dusty suit with his goddamn lap blanket shoved down the side of the chair like he’d wheeled right out of class and into the fray. Erik felt ill.

“What are you doing here,” he asked again. The telepath lifted his chin indignantly. They both knew Erik didn’t mean the X-Men.

“I’m helping those in need,” he challenged. Erik grit his teeth.

“You’re totally exposed, Charles. No armour or protection at all. If I hadn’t come along, there’s no telling what might have happened.”

“I can tell you exactly what would have happened,” Charles replied tartly. “Jean or Kurt would have helped me. We are a team. Though I’ll have you know, I’m not totally useless myself.”

“You trust them then?” snapped Erik.

“With my life!” Charles blue, blue eyes were alight with ire. Erik bristled.

“You need to go and wait in the Blackbird,” he said, lifting Charles chair into the air so suddenly that the telepath let out a cry.

“Erik, no! Put me down! I need to stay here! The children are all linked through me! Put me down, I say!” Erik stopped moving the wheelchair but did not set Charles down.

“Put me down!”

“No.”

“I’m not just a useless man in a wheelchair, Erik! I’m not as fragile as you think me!”

The wheelchair rattled dangerously.

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it, Charles!! I’m talking about you wearing a goddamn suit to a fight!! This is ridiculous! You are by far powerful enough to accomplish whatever the hell it is you’re doing for those children from the safety of the jet!”

Charles shut his mouth, staring at Erik, eye to eye from where he was floating. They stared at each other for a good while before Erik couldn’t take it. Behind Charles he’d just seen both Raven and Hank go flying.

“They need my help,” said softly, appealing to Charles with an open palm. The telepath was gripping the arms of the chair, looking almost ready to jump from it to get away from Erik.

“They need mine too,” replied Charles, brows creased stubbornly.

“From the jet.” Erik was almost glad for the battle that kept the pleading in his voice from anyone else’s ears. His brotherhood had certainly never heard anything like it from him before. And though the nature of he and Charles’ relationship was not necessarily a secret, the vulnerability that Charles drew out of Erik was not something he liked to let bleed into his leadership.

“I can’t help if I know you’re sitting here. I can feel every explosion through your chair. From the jet, Charles. Please.”

He let Charles down, still tense.

“… From the jet,” agreed Charles finally.                 

 

Thankfully, the way to the Blackbird was a fairly undisturbed path. No one seemed to notice Erik and Charles making their way quickly around the battle and back to the jet, though Erik suspected Raven, and possibly Jean Grey, may have been laying down some cover for them. He silently pledged his thanks as hurried inside the Blackbird.

With the door closed behind them, some of the battle noise dulled and Erik didn’t have to raise his voice anymore.

“Stay here,” he said to Charles who had stationed himself in front of the wide windscreen in the jet’s cockpit. It provided a reasonably good view of the fight, though being linked with his students, Charles hardly needed it. “You’re much more useful where you’re not distracted.”

While Charles dusted off his suit, Erik bent Charles’ wheels flat on the bottom for good measure. He didn’t need telepathy to know what a horrible thing that was to do to Charles, but Erik knew he’d find the other back in the heart of the battle if he didn’t do something.

Charles was silent, clearly not entirely resigned to the situation yet.

“Take this too,” murmured Erik, unclipping his cape and sweeping it around Charles’ form. It settled heavily over his shoulders and the telepath pulled it closed around his chest despite his cross expression. Something loosened in Erik’s own chest with the knowledge Charles now had something better than just his expensive suit.

“This is heavy; you’ve laced it with metal?” asked Charles after a moment, finally lifting his face to look at Erik. A smirk tugged at Erik’s lips. Charles never stayed mad with him for long. How would they ever go on if he ever did?

“Of course. The only person I trust to watch my back is me. You’ve never noticed the cape?” Charles huffed a little.

“The only times I’m usually this close to you, Erik, I’m either too angry with you to notice much of anything, or you’re not wearing the armour.”

Erik smiled, amused. Charles was getting there.

“Are you being annoyed or saucy?”

“Can’t I be both?”

Charles reached out his hand and Erik allowed his own to slip in. Just for a moment. He needed to get back out there.

Erik shook his head. What would the Brotherhood, or even the X-Men say if they saw this; their leaders on the last legs of an argument, hand in hand, with Charles making absent little sweeping gestures over Erik’s thumb. It would surely be difficult for Charles’ children, young as they were, to understand how the Professor they perceived so good and true, could make such exceptions for Magneto, with whom he never agreed. An enemy in many of their eyes.

“Take that thing off,” said Charles, jerking his chin at the helmet. Erik squeezed Charles’ hand warningly.

“Why, so you can make me unbend your wheels?”

“You know full well that I don’t do that,” breathed Charles.

An explosion rocked the Blackbird.

“I’ll come with you,” explained Charles, tapping his temple in a familiar old habit. “It’s easier to see through a steadier mind. The children are a little hectic.”

Protective as he was over the item, Erik nodded and slid the heavy helmet off without a fuss. Charles was right; today they were united. There was no need for it. He passed the helmet to Charles, who tucked it into him inside Erik’s cape. Immediately, there was the warm press of Charles telepathy asking permission at the edges of his mind. Erik blinked and let it flow in. He could quickly feel that a part of Charles was separated from him, the part that was simultaneously keeping lines open for the children he supposed-- a feat that did not leave Erik unimpressed by Charles tremendous power and control.

_Hello there, my friend._

_Hello, Charles._

Erik ran his fingers through his hair that had been mussed about by the helmet, and listened to the funny, happy buzz that came from Charles’ end at the sight of him without the helmet, and additionally, without his cape. Apparently there was a novelty in seeing Erik in his base armour, sans the flashy extras that he was so inclined to.

_The cape does have a function,_ supplied Erik.

_Yes, but you don’t need it when I’m watching your back._

Erik grinned and gave Charles a fond pat as he turned to leave the Blackbird.

_Shall we then?_

_After you, darling._

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
